Article of child&#39;s furniture



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7 Oct. 14, 1958 Filed April 18, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 fodam,

ATTORNEYS.

Oct. 14, 1958 T. E. .GRODEM 2,855,983

ARTICLE OF CHILDS FURNITURE Filed April 18, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.3. 2O 2. 35

IN VEN TOR.

ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent ARTICLE 0F CHILDS FURNITURE Thomas E. Grodem, Buffalo, N. Y.

Application April 18, 1956, Serial No. 579,039

7 Claims. (Cl. '155123) This invention relates to an article of childs furniture and more particularly to .a convertible multi-purpose article including a seat portion and a portion which may be variously arranged for use as a table or a blackboard or easel.

In the apparatus of the present invention a chest, useful for the storage of toys or the like, is employed as a seat or bench for a child 'and means are connected thereto by novel linkage, which means may be positioned for use as a table or, in the alternative, as a blackboard or easel. In either case the table or blackboard is properly positioned so that a child seated upon the chest may use the table or blackboard.

A .prime advantage of the apparatus of the present invention resides in the fact that, where the movable part of the apparatus is employed .as atable or as a blackboard, the structure isextremely rigid and stable so that there is no danger of accidental .collapse nor is there any danger of tipping, particularly in view of the possibility of a child climbing about the structure in various ways.

The principles of the invention arebest understood from a study of the complete embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described in detail in the following specification. However, it .is to be understood that such embodiment is by way of example only and that various mechanical modifications may be made in the article of the present invention without departing from the principles thereof and that the scope of the invention is limited only asdefined in the appendedclaims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a general side elevation of one form of the article of childs furniture of the present invention shown in full lines in one position of use and in dot and dash lines in an alternative position of use;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the structure of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the article of Figs. 1 and 2 shown in the alternative position of use illustrated in dot and dash lines in Fig. 1;

Fig. '4 is a side elevational view of the article in the positionillustratedinFig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken approximately on the line VV of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken approximately on the line VIVI of Fig. 2.

The fixed or base structure of the device illustrated in the drawings by way of example comprises a chest or receptacle 10 having fixed front, rear and end walls designated 11, 12 and 13, respectively, and a bottom wall 14. A lid 16 is hinged to the upper edge of rear wall 12 as at 17 to give access to the interior of the chest.

As indicated earlier herein, the movable structure provides, selectively and in the alternative, a table device or a blackboard, in either case the chest 10 serving as a seat for the child. A panel 20 is movable between the full line position of Fig. 1 and the dot and dash line position for use respectively as a blackboard and as a table top.

Panel 20 is provided with pairs of legs 21 and 22 which are pivoted at their upper ends to the ends of panel 20.

The connection or articulation between legs 21 and 22 and chest 10 is primarily by means of a pair of links at each end of the structure, the links of each pair being designated 23 and 24 in the drawings. Each link 23 is pivoted at one end to the upper portion of the corresponding leg 21 as at 26 and is pivoted at its opposite end to an end wall 13 of chest 10 as at 27. Each link 24 is pivoted at one end to the corresponding leg 21 as at 29 and the opposite end of each link 24 is pivoted to an end wall .13 of chest '10 as at 30. In addition the links 24 are pivoted to legs 22 where they intersect the same as best shown at 31 in Fig. 4.

A further pair of links 32 is provided and one end of each is pivotally connected to a corresponding leg 22 as at 33. Each link 32 is connected with one of the links 23 by means of a further link 35, the latter being pivotally connected at .one end to link 32 as at 36 and at its opposite end to link 23 as at 37. It will be noted that each pair of links 321, 35 form a toggle linkage between each leg 22 and the corresponding link 23. Links 32 serve as bracing legs when the link structure is in the full line position of Fig. 1 wherein the panel 20 is positioned for use as a blackboard or easel.

The foregoing link structure not only controls the positioning of the panel 20 as a table top and as a black board but provides a rigid support structure in the opposite positions of the apparatus. When the parts are in the full line position of Fig. -1, links 32 engage the floor orsimilar support and the entire structure is rigidly braced against tipping or overbalancing to the right as viewed in Fig. 1.

When the parts are in the dotand dash line position of Fig. 1 or the full line position of Fig. 4 the panel 20 serves as a table and is supported rigidly on legs at all four corners thereof as clearly shown in the drawing. This is important in an article of childs furniture since the proclivity of children for walking on and climbing aboutan article of this kind is well known.

I claim:

1. An article of furniture comprising a relatively stationaryseat member and a panel adapted to be positioned horizontallyvat one side of said seat member to provide a table for use with the seat member, a pair of legs pivoted to and extending downwardly from the corners of said panel adjacent to the seat member, and a second pair of legs pivoted to the corners of said panel remote from the seat member and extending downwardly therefrom, a pair of links'eachpivoted atone end to the upper portion of :one of said second legs and at its other end to said seat member, and a second pair of links each pivoted at one end tonne of said second legs below the first links and .at its other end to said seat member, whereby said p anel:is mounted for movement from its aforesaid position to a generally upright position at the opposite side of said seat member for use as a blackboard or easel, and means limiting movement -.of 'saidpanel, said legs and said links when said panel reaches said generally upright position.

2. An article of furniture comprising a relatively stationary seat member and a panel adapted to be positioned horizontally at one side of said seat member to provide a table for use with the seat member, a pair of legs pivoted to and extending downwardly from the corners of said panel adjacent to the seat member, and a second pair of legs pivoted to the corners of said panel remote from the seat member and extending downwardly therefrom, a pair of links each pivoted at one end to the upper portion of one of said second legs and at its other end to said seat member, and a second pair of links each pivoted at one end to one of said second legs below the first links and at its other end to said seat member, whereby said panel is mounted for movement from its aforesaid position to a generally upright position at the opposite side of said seat member for use as a blackboard or easel, and a pair of links each pivoted to one of the legs adjacent to the seat member and adapted to engage the floor to serve as a brace when the panel is in the latter position.

3. An article of furniture comprising a relatively stationary seat member and a panel adapted to be positioned horizontally at one side of said seat member to provide a table for use with the seat member, a pair of legs pivoted to and extending downwardly from the corners of said panel adjacent to the seat member, and a second pair of legs pivoted to the corners of said panel remote from the seat member and extending downwardly therefrom, a pair of links each pivoted at one end to the upper portion of one of said second legs and at its other end to said seat member, and a second pair of links each pivoted at one end to one of said second legs below the first links and at its other end to said seat member, each of said second links being pivoted medially to one of said first pair of legs, whereby said panel is mounted for movement from its aforesaid position to a generally upright position at the opposite side of said seat member for use as a blackboard or easel, and means limiting movement of said panel, said legs and said links when said panel reaches said generally upright position.

4. An article of furniture comprising a relatively stationary seat member and a panel adapted to be positioned horizontally at one side of said seat member to provide a table for use with the seat member, a pair of legs pivoted to and extending downwardly from the corners of said panel adjacent to the seat member, and a second pair of legs pivoted to the corners of said panel remote from the seat member and extending downward ly therefrom, a pair of links each pivoted at one end to one of said second legs substantially below the panel and at its other end to said seat member, each of said links being pivoted medially to one of said first pair of legs whereby said link, the legs pivoted thereto and the table top form a quadrilateral linkage, other link means cooperating to collapse said quadrilateral linkage upon movement of the table top from its aforesaid position to a generally upright position at the opposite side of said seat member for use as a blackboard or easel, and means limiting movement of said panel, said legs and said links when said panel reaches said generally upright position.

5. An article of furniture comprising a relatively stationary seat member and a panel adapted to be positioned horizontally at one side of said seat member to provide a table for use with the seat member, a pair of legs pivoted to and extending downwardly from the corners of said panel adjacent to the seat member, and a second pair of legs pivoted to the corners of said panel remote from the seat member and extending downwardly therefrom, a pair of links each pivoted at one end to the upper portion of one of said second legs and at its other end to said seat member, a second pair of links each pivoted at one end to one of said second legs below the first links and at its other end to said seat member, whereby said panel is mounted for movement from its aforesaid position to a generally upright position at the opposite side of said seat member for use as a blackboard or easel, and other link means engaging between the legs adjacent to the seat member and one of said first mentioned links and having a projecting end portion for ground engagement when the panel is in upright position to brace-the same.

6. An article of furniture comprising a relatively stationary seat member and a panel adapted to be positioned horizontally at one side of said seat member to provide a table for use with the seat member, a pair of legs pivoted to and extending downwardly from the corners of said panel adjacent to the seat member, and a second pair of legs pivoted to the corners of said panel remote from the seat member and extending downwardly therefrom, a pair of links each pivoted at one end to the upper portion of one of said second legs and at its other end to said seat member, a second pair of links each pivoted at one end to one of said second legs below the first links and at its other end to said seat member, whereby said panel is mounted for movement from its aforesaid position to a generally upright position at the opposite side of said seat member for use as a blackboard or easel, a toggle link pivotally engaging one of the legs adjacent to the seat member and a companion toggle link pivotally engaging one of said first mentioned links, said first toggle link having an extending portion for engaging the supporting surface when the panel is in upright position to brace the same.

7. An article of furniture comprising a relatively stationary seat member and a panel adapted to be positioned horizontally at one side of said seat member to provide a table for use with the seat member, a pair oflegs pivoted to and extending downwardly from the corners of said panel adjacent to the seat member, and a second pair of legs pivoted to the corners of said panel remote from the seat member and extending downwardly therefrom, a pair of links each pivoted at one end to the upper portion of one of said second legs and at its other end to said seat member, a second pair of links each pivoted at one end to one of said second legs below the first links and at its other end to said seat member, whereby said panel is mounted for movement from its aforesaid position to a generally upright position at the opposite side of said seat member for use as a blackboard or easel, and a pair of toggle links engaging between one of the legs adjacent to the seat member and the corresponding one of said first mentioned links, one of said pair of toggle links extending to a ground engaging position to serve as a brace when the panel is in the latter position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Rogers Ian. 2, 1900 Anduaga Mar. 20, 1934 

